Sara Pedersen
Professional Organizer
& Marketing Specialist
651-717-1284 sara@time2organize.net
Organize Today Issue Descriptions
Note: All issues are four pages, containing five to seven articles per issue.
OFFICE/PAPER ORGANIZATION ORGANIZE YOUR FILES
You’d think that with the advent of computers and e-mail, we’d be using a lot less paper. But, in reality, paper use is rising exponentially each year! What’s a person to do? Learning how to effectively handle your papers is key. If your clients are overwhelmed by paper, then this issue of Organize Today — devoted to file management — is for them! While not the most glamourous of topics, it is an essential skill to learn to keep a home
and office running smoothly. They'll learn how to set up the perfect filing system, as well as how to maintain it.
ORGANIZE YOUR HOME OFFICE
This issue of Organize Today is dedicated to those who go to work in their jammies. Working from a home office offers many wonderful benefits — like being able to wear comfortable clothes, avoid traffic-jammed commutes, and enjoy a more flexible schedule and pace. But with these perks come some drawbacks, too: It’s hard to distinguish office hours from personal hours; the solitude of an empty house can be daunting; and the paperwork and clutter that spill forth can cause frustration and waste time. This issue shares valuable tips to organize both space and time. And for those who actually have to get dressed to go to work, don’t worry. Nearly all of these tips cross over to those who work outside the home, too!
ORGANIZING A VARIETY OF OFFICE SPACES
In the old days, offices used to be standard-issue, one-size-fits-all spaces. They traditionally had a large desk, a filing cabinet, and — such luxury — a door to close for a little peace and quiet. Fast-forward to today. Offices now come in a variety of shapes and sizes. From the standard-issued, privacy-lacking cube office to the increasingly popular home office to the space-challenged mobile office, each presents its own unique organizational challenges. This issue of Organize Today will offer some tips and tricks to help your clients get their space, supplies, and work life under control no matter if they're an executive on the top floor or a sales guru working out of their sedan.
PAPER, PAPER EVERYWHERE
Bills to pay. Newspapers and magazines to read. Receipts, warranties and instructions to save — the list goes on and on. Each day we are bombarded with papers that need our attention. If papers are taking over your clients' lives (or home or office), this is a great issue to choose. It will help them wade through their continually flowing stream of papers, help them make smart choices about storage or disposal of them, and have them feeling in control in no time!
PRODUCTIVITY AT WORK
The average desk worker has 36 hours of work on his or her desk. If that sounds like your clients, fear not! This issue of Organize Today will share some simple yet effective
tips to increase productivity at work by being more organized. By becoming more organized, they'll not only help their businesses run better, but they'll reap multiple personal rewards as well.
HOME ORGANIZATION
AN ORGANIZED HOUSEHOLD How do you keep a busy household running like clockwork? This issue teaches some easy-to-implement ideas for getting — and keeping — your home neat and organized. It all starts with a plan. Once everyone is on board, commit to an annual clean-up day and daily tidy-up time. Clutter doesn’t stand a chance! Then, keep vital information at your fingertips by creating a handy household reference binder and maintaining a family calendar.
BASEMENT, ATTIC & GARAGE ORGANIZING
Organizing the garage, attic, or basement can be a great spring organizing project for your clients! Whether they've been accumulating things in those spaces for months or decades, it’s never too late (or too early) to declutter and reclaim that lost space. This issue of Organize Today will help them sort through the stuff, purge what they don’t need or love, and create a neat system of organization for what’s left. They'll also learn how to preserve some of their precious treasures, such as photos and memorabilia, so they can be enjoyed for years to come.
CLOSETS IN ORDER
Closets are necessary to keep our clothing and other essentials neat and contained. We all need to make the most of our closet space, no matter the size of our homes. But, when space is tight, we need to be really creative and proactive to make that space work for us and our stuff! In this issue of Organize Today, your clients learn simple, common-sense approaches to weeding out your current closets’ contents; by downsizing a bit, they'll have more room for the things they truly love or need. While focused on clothing, the tips and supplies recommended here can cross over to any closet organizing project.
CREATIVE STORAGE SOLUTIONS
With the huge variety of organizing products out there, it’s easy to become overwhelmed — and cash-strapped — when shopping for containers. With the creative storage solutions in this issue of Organize Today, your clients will discover new uses for old containers and under-utilized spaces. And if they want to purchase new organizing products, they'll read about some inexpensive (and multi-purpose) items that can work wonders!
DE-CLUTTERING MADE EASY
The word “clutter” derives from he Middle English word “clotter,” which means coagulate. Think stagnant, accumulated, stuck! When it invades our homes and offices, we become disorganized. We lose things, forget to pay bills, procrastinate, and waste time. This issue of Organize Today explains the reasons why we accumulate clutter and tells how to deal with the clutter we’ve built up in our lives. You’ll also learn how to prevent it from accumulating in the first place.
GETTING KIDS ORGANIZED
It’s a great time to teach a child to get organized! Whether your clients are parents, grandparents, friends, or neighbors of children, the skills they share will remain with them for a lifetime. This issue provides some tips that can be used with kids of all ages. Your clients will learn how to get kids organized for school, as well as how to tackle that ever-growing pile of art projects. Establishing routines for organizing will make life and its unexpected challenges a snap!
HOME STAGING AND MOVING
If your clients are planning a move any time in the future, this issue of Organize Today will provide some great tips about home staging, stress-free moving, successful garage sales, and painless downsizing. Even if they're planning to stay put in their current homes, they'll love this issue. The tips will teach them how to beautify their homes in simple, often inexpensive ways. And they can keep this issue as a handy reference for any moves down the road, or pass this newsletter along to friends and family planning a move.
ORGANIZING PHOTOS AND MEMORABILIA
Memorabilia come in all shapes and forms, from traditional (such as stamps, coins, and baseball cards) to off-the-wall unique (antique teapots, snow globes, and crazy hats). Whatever your clients collect, it provides a glimpse into their lives and personality. But just as important as the items in the collection is they way they choose to organize and display them. Photographs are another common kind of collection. And just like memorabilia, they can get out of control unless properly organized, stored, and displayed. This issue of Organize Today will share tips to get photos and memorabilia under control and looking great. With a little work today, their collections will be beautiful for years to come.
ORGANIZE YOUR KITCHEN
This issue will help your clients whip their kitchens into shape following a simple process of sorting, analyzing, placement, and maintenance. They'll enjoy some food storage tips, find recipe relief, and learn how to create a magazine-worthy kitchen in minutes. Lastly, we share some tips to help de-junk their junk drawers.
ORGANIZING YOUR HOME'S SMALL SPACES
Small spaces have the potential for big messes. However, with just a little bit of organizing know-how, your clients can transform them from disastrous to delightful. This issue of Organize Today will teach them how to organize these smaller home spaces. Begin with the entryway — it sets the tone for the rest of the home! Then, move on to the laundry room, bathroom, and linen closet. These quick and easy projects will make a big difference in the look and functionality of your clients' homes.
LIFE ORGANIZATION
ABUNDANCE OVERLOAD
Every day, we are bombarded with messages to buy more stuff. Turn on the television, and we see 16 minutes of commercials during a 60-minute show. Open a magazine, and we’ll discover more ads than articles. Peek inside our mailbox and we’ll find junk mail overload. That’s a whole lot of pressure to buy more, have more, and be more. This issue of Organize Today is devoted to helping your clients slow down and recognize that more isn’t necessarily better. As they read this issue, they'll understand over-consumption, discover life-simplifying tips, and learn the benefits of living within their means and your space.
IDENTITY PROTECTION & SAFE KEEPING OF IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
If a fire or natural disaster hit your clients' homes, would their important papers be safe? What if their wallets or personal information was stolen? Would they know how to take quick action to protect themselves and their money? This issue of Organize Today shares some great tips to help them prepare for a home disaster, such as fire or flood. A smart place to start is with a thorough review of their safe deposit box contents. They'll learn the essential items to keep there. They'll also learn how to protect their identity in the event of theft.
ORGANIZING TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT
Being organized has great personal benefits. You can easily find things, save time and money, and become incredibly productive. Getting organized can have great environmental benefits as well. By following the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), you’ll use fewer natural resources, discover new uses for old things, and find fresh homes for your castoffs. This issue of Organize Today will help your clients make smart purchase decisions, minimize waste, and make Mother Earth very happy.
PLANNING AN ORGANIZED VACATION
Everyone needs some rest and relaxation now and then, but sometimes the planning, packing, and prepping leave us more stressed out than if we had just stayed home! No need to fear — this issue of Organize Today will help your clients plan an organized vacation, whether it’s a quick weekend getaway or a month-long European vacation. From helpful packing tips to keeping kids (and grown-ups) happy on a long journey, they'll learn how to leave home happy — not harried.
REACHING YOUR GOALS
Goal making and keeping doesn’t have to be stressful. With proper planning, goals can help us reach dreams — both big and small. Whether revolving around family, work, or personal aspirations, goal making allows us to evaluate the past and present and make impactful and meaningful decisions about the future. In fact, research has shown that people who effectively use goal setting suffer less from stress and anxiety, concentrate better, show more self-confidence, perform better, are happier and more satisfied. And who wouldn’t like to receive those great benefits? This issue of Organize Today will teach step-by-step goal making strategies that your clients will love!
SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE
Wouldn’t it be nice to slow down and have a little fun once in a while? So many of us fill our calendars to capacity and don’t take time to savor the simple — and often most enjoyable — things in life. This issue of Organize Today shares tips to help your clients simplify their lives and time. They'll learn the art of properly using a calendar to manage their tasks and explore making conscientious time management decisions that allow them to live their best lives.
STOP PROCRASTINATING. GET MOTIVATED!
An overflowing in-basket that needs attention. A disorganized hall closet bursting at the seams. A kitchen counter covered in papers and junk. A to-do list that never seems to get done. If any of these things is stressing your clients out, this issue of Organize Today is full of procrastination information and solutions! They'll learn why they do it and how to conquer it. Plus, they'll discover quick tips to start the organizing process in just about every area of their lives.
STRESS-FREE HOLIDAYS
Getting organized is the key to managing a fantastic, stress-free season. This issue of Organize Today will teach your clients how to thoughtfully plan and deliberately delegate as they get ready for the holidays. Survive — and revive — by focusing on simplicity and slowing down to enjoy family and friends.
THE SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZED STUDENT
It’s easy to think that by simply purchasing some neat, new school supplies, students will instantly be transported to “most organized kid.” (Remember how cool you felt with your Trapper Keeper?) But even more important than the physical tools we give them are the routines and habits we encourage. This issue of Organize Today will help your clients' kids set up a great study space at home, maintain a tidy desk or locker at school, keep paper clutter at bay, and — hopefully — manage to get out the door on time each morning.